Chapter 10 - Tea and Rumors With Hagrid
By: Zero Star (zrostar)
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Dashing through hallways and jumping trick stairs, Harry and friends had made it to Professor Binn's class just in time. Harry had settled himself, when the ghostly teacher floated through the chalk board.
"Good day class, I suspect you'll enjoy today's lesson. It's rather short, only 15 pages of notes today." He droned on in the sleepiest of tones.
There was a quiet cheer from Finnigan in the back row. He, at least, was happy to only have 15 pages.
The class did pay attention, however, when Binns announced that over the course of this semester they would be learning Hogwarts history.
"We will be covering a variety of dates and persons, not necessarily in order. Hopefully the events we learn here will inspire you to complete your homework this year... Although I do have a few special guest speakers arranged you can talk to. Normal I would never have such a distraction, but they are very well read in Historical studies."
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"We'll I hope you two are happy, we'll be covering something a little closer to England this year." Hermione stated, her voice was harsh, but she seemed in a better mood. Part of her knew Harry and Ron would do better this year and may even share some of her passion for the history of this school.
"I'd be happy if Professor Binns was suddenly excorsized with Peeves and Myrtle." Ron retorted.
Harry glanced at an ancient grandfather clock in the hallway. It didn't have normal numbers like muggle clocks did. It's face gave times that made more sense in the wizard world. Things like: "plenty of time" or "hurry, your late." At the current moment it read "Time to talk before lunch."
"Let's go see Hagrid." Harry said.
The three dashed off at a run, laughing and racing their way to the fat wooden hut just off side of the school grounds.
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When they finally stopped, panting and breathless. They noticed a large, gray mare sitting underneath one of Hagrids trees. She seemed to be sleeping peacefully.
"Don't tell me Hagrid's got a new pet!" Ron exclaimed quietly, not wishing to awaken a potential monster.
To Harry, she was beautiful. The lovely beast was pale grey with a few dots of white around her shoulders. Her hooves were as big around as his bed posts, with long slender legs.
"Let's go find out." He whispered.
Hagrid opened his front door gently, and welcomed them in, instructing them to be quiet while the horse was sleeping. Once they were inside however, it was alright to speak as loud as they wanted.
"Hagrid, she's lovely! Where did you get her?" Hermione was the first to ask.
"Oh no, she t'aint mine. One 'o our guests brought her. She's a might tired from travelling and her owner wants her to have the best 'o care. That's why he left her with me!" Hagrid was very proud of this fact, absolutely bustling with pride.
"Now!" He suddenly remembered something. "Don't be going up to her, she's a beaut but she's feisty. Long history of bucking people into the lake, ya know. And she bites something aweful."
The trio exchanged glances.
"Who owns her?" Harry asked, this time. "The Egyptian?"
Hargid grew nervous, and figgeted slightly.
"Now that ain't no business 'o yers." He glanced about as if someone unseen were listening. "But .. uh .. try to avoid the Slytherins as much as you can." He added, in a low whisper.
This inspired another shared glance.
Ron finally spoke. "What was it you wanted to talk so badly about?"
Hagrid gave a great smile and fetched some tea cups.
"Something wrong with wanting to see my favorite students?" He gave a jolly laugh and poured them each tea before becoming serious again.
"This year, things are going a bit differently. We have some, er, guests. Former teachers actually, House heads even. But they aren't people you want to fool around with, Harry. That goes for you two as well."
The giant settled himself down into a large wooden chair, it creaked mightily as he got comfortable.
"What's so frightening about former professors?" Hermione was having trouble understanding him. Teachers were her favorite people.
"Well, they ain't like the rest of us. They're powerful and dark... many a sorted past they have, and they are back for a reason."
Harry couldn't help but notice, the sky outside of Hagrid's dusty windows was suddenly growing dark. He continued to stare at the sky as Hagrid spoke.
"A long time ago, in the early days of Voldemort, that Egyptian fellow had a young student. His student was teaching here. He was a right decent teacher too. Anyway, rumor had it, he disappeared under very bad circumstances. It was said that You-Know-Who made the fellow an offer that he couldn't refused, only he did, with dire consequences. No one knows exactly what happened to him. However, the old Egyptian thinks that he's been buried at Hogwarts this entire time."
A thunder clap exploded outside the wooden hut, shaking the small structure and quieting the conversation with it's sudden onset. Hagrid continued, hesitantly.
"No one could prove if he was really buried here or not. They couldn't even prove what part of the grounds he might be in. But Dumbledore tells me (and I shouldn't be sharing this, so don't you dare spread it) there is a big event this halloween. It will show them where he is, if he's even here at all. I kinda hope they find him, just to settle this whole mess, once and for all. Even if it is the Darkest Night they are relying on."
The group was silent for a long moment, when a hard pounding rain began to pelt the hut.
"But Hagrid..." Hermione was trying to process the details, or lack of them, in Hagrids story. "That doesn't explain why these teachers are so dangerous."
At that, Hagrid gave her a hard look, one very uncommon for his gentle self. "I think it's best you all be going."
Hagrid followed them out, and wished them good luck, and to be careful one more time. "Especially at night! I can't stress that enough!"
The gray horse has awoken and was now standing underneath the same tree, licking the water running down it's trunk. Hagrid moved to find her shelter while the three Gryffindors made their way back to the castle.
Harry had been watching the storm this whole time, he saw it's oncoming, it's thunder and rain, now he noticed it was starting to break up almost instantly, as soon as they had reached the doors of the Great Hall.
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The three picked at their lunch in silence. Harry had a deep feeling of guilt, somewhere thinking he should know the story Hagrid told, but was completely unable to recall it.
Ron, was silent with nervousness, creepy professors and dead bodies laying around his school where not something to inspire his appetite.
Hermione didn't touch a thing. She was in deep thought on these issues and occasionally glanced up at the retreating clouds reflected in the ceiling of the great hall.
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I actually went to the zoo yesterday. I got some inspiration
for a few new animals you may see in here. That horse was one of them
I need to return by myself and make notes on them, when others aren't
distracting me.
I think I like this chapter. Things seemed to flow right and I got to fill in a few holes here and there.
11-10-02
Happy Birthday Mandragora!